Wire Art
This page will contain various wire art.
Don't wait too long to protect your finger joints from EDS, arthritis, and other cartilage destroying disorders.
Disclaimer 1: I do not make or sell wire art to other people. Splint rings need to be personalized in person. Especially the finger braces - arthritis nodules make it difficult, or nearly impossible, to make rings that will work. Someday, someone will come up with a way to have them magnetically connect around those nodules, and help straighten them out. It won't be me.
Disclaimer 2: I am not a medical doctor, or a physical therapist. I cannot tell you if using a wire brace ring is safe, or recommended for you, nor can I tell you the size that is safe for you to wear.
Disclaimer 3: Wire will be sharp and can cause cuts. A metal file may help reduce sharp ends.
Disclaimer 4: Copper wire that has a silver, or other color of coating, will loose the coating with wear.
Recommended wearing time - While doing activities that cause joint compression, maybe a few hours at a time.
It is helpful to have a small bowl to set the rings along the rim in the order you wear them.
Brooches. I have two completed, and have two in the process of being made.
Card holder - for wild cards in card games. These can be fun to make. A delightful artwork that be used again and again. Not finished yet. Check back for pictures and directions.
Splint ringsare generally made with 18 gauge wire - which is 1 millimeter. For some reason, not all manufacturers 18 gauge is the same size or shape. There are different types of hardness and softness of wire. The internet contains pages and charts to help you find the correct wire, size and type for the different projects.
Tools For Working With Wire
Board and Small Nails For Patterns
CardBoard
Dowel Rod
Ring Sizer
Rubber Mallet
Metal File
Ring Sizer - Mandrel
Pliers -
Bent Nose
Chain Nose
Flat Nose
Round Nose
Wire - Typically 18 Guage.
Wire Cutters
Finger Splint Ring - Swan Neck
This is a Finger Splint Ring - Swan Neck style. This is a DIP joint (Fingertip Joint) ring.
There are little looped circles on the underside of your fingers. They make it easy to adjust the size if your fingers swell due to weather, or reduce as inflammation reduces. The little loops can be sharp, so if you have a metal file, try to sand them off.
In this case, the DIP joint bones are super weak. The fingertip bones jams against the second bone when typing. Oddly enough, knitting and crocheting do not hurt. By wearing the two loops on top of the finger, one on each side of the DIP joint, it prevents the hypermobility of the fingertip, which can no longer bend too far upward, away from the palm.
Finger Splint Ring - Opposite Swan Neck
Swan Neck Ring for the PIP Joint (Middle of the finger joint) .
It stabilizes for hypermobility where your finger tendons and cartilage are too tight, and tends to curl toward the palm. In this case, the "X" part would be on top of the joint, encouraging the joint to stay straight. If you need to use that finger, just turn the ring - it will be loose, and your fingers can bend normally.
Some people have this type of hypermobility on their finger tip (the DIP joint). The same idea in making them applies. They would need to be a bit smaller.
Finger Rings - Two Per Finger
This photo contains both a PIP Joint - (Middle of the finger joint) Swan Neck Ring for the PIP Joint and a DIP Joint ring set worn on the same finger.
The middle of the finger joint brace stabilizes for hypermobility where your finger is too tight, and tends to curl toward the palm. In this case, the "X" part would be on top of the joint, encouraging the joint to stay straight. If you need to use that finger, just turn the ring - it will be loose, and your fingers can bend normally.
The second ring stabilizes the hypermobility of the finger tip as well. The two loops on top of the finger, one on each side of the DIP joint, it prevents the hypermobility of the fingertip, which can no longer bend too far upward, away from the palm.
The final picture shows four finger ring splints for one hand, two together that go on the same finger.
Thumb Splint Ring
These are a variety of different thumb splints.
The first pair is one of my first thumb splints. It simply had a loop at the fingertip, and the cat paw over the thumb joint to the hand to prevent it from hyperextension. However, the cat paw tended to flap around a bit and easily fall off. It was not easily adjustable.
In the second picture, I took one of those, and added another loop next to the joint paw, so it would hold it on better.
The third is an example of a braided wire thumb splint. Two types of (20 gauge) copper wire were braided together to increase stability.
Jewelry - Brooches and Ring
These are a couple of brooches and a ring I have made. They all need a little more work. The one brooch is really nice. The other, the ties didn't quite work.
The brooches have wire rose - in gold, pink, and silver wire. They have a gold wire bowtie that needs work.
The simple ring has a pink ring rose attached to the top. Sadly, it loosened too easily, and needs work.
Card Holder
Place Holder Text